The Road to MLS Cup XII, Week 8

1. Don't be a hater. China didn't do too well against the US's European B team, but don't assume they're not improving. Yes, I know. They lost to Thailand. Some folks think they're worse than in 2002. Just remember that many of the same reasons that US fans like to think the US team has a great future (e.g. large population, commitment to sports, great sports infrastructure) apply equally, if not more, to China.

2. Clint Mathis is back to his old self. That means he's both scoring and getting red cards. He simply demands scrutiny from the ref. I didn't see his red card for throwing an elbow but heard that it was at least somewhat soft. But regardless, Mathis still hasn't learnt that jawing at refs is a good way to make sure that these kinds of calls will always go against him.

3. EJ is really back. Back to back hat tricks? Are you kidding? This is the guy we all left for dead months ago.


4. Two nil-nil draws on the same day. I didn't watch more than a few minutes of RSL's latest draw, but I tried to watch the late show between LA and DC. DC looked more like a real team (and should have been given all of the absences from LA's first team). LA, however, had supremely dangerous changes (that's what happens when Donovan is on your team). But overall? I fell asleep at the half. Did I miss anything?


5. Back to the US v China: I always like to remind people that, just because someone is playing on a reserve side in Europe, that's no reason to believe that they're national team material. Watching US v China, though, I could be forgiven for wanting to back away a little bit from that statement. Feilhaber's goal was sweet. And you had to like those few moments when Charlie Davies opened up. And that one sweet run from Lee Nyguyen... Just don't get too enamored of them-- they do need more work. Fans irrationally deplore failure, so they even more irrationally love new players who they haven't yet seen fail.


6. Nate Jacqua is really snakebit right now. I actually count myself as a fan and think that he's underrated. No, his skills aren't the best, but they're good enough given his size. But man, it's hard to keep on supporting the guy when he gets open in the box about six yards to the left of the goal and decided to shoot... straight ahead. Man, Nate, it doesn't look good.

7. Chad Barrett's goal against Columbus. Ok-- so little bulldog Chad Barrett pounces on a botched Columbus kick at midfield and realizes he's got nothing between him at the goal but about 50 yards of grass. The Crew's recent substitute, the lithe Kei Kamara, is presumably a lot faster than the stubby little Fire player and races after him. But Barrett pulls a Formula 1 move and somehow positions himself between Kamara and the ball for the entire sprint. The result? A cool finish for the game-winning goal. You've got to think that Kamara could have done a little better here somehow because I'm still scratching my head as to how Barrett pulled it off.

8. Hope he doesn't get paid by the hour. RSL's Ritchie Kotschau comes into the Revs-Real game in the 81st minutes. And gets red carded in the 82nd. The guy's been out of the league for a couple of years-- you wonder if he's wondering if he made the wrong decision to come back...